Jazz Orbit Bill Holman

Jazz Orbit Bill Holman Photo

Jazz Orbit Bill Holman Photo

Jazz Orbit Bill Holman Picture

Jazz Orbit Bill Holman Picture

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9 of 10 humans found the following review helpful.
More West Coast Big Band by the Dean
By William Faust
Even even though my preference when it comes to west coast jazz is for littler formats – quintet, septet, octet etc. – this is a fine big band performance featuring all the popular suspects (Holman, Sheldon, Kamuca, Rosolino, Candoli, Porcino etc.) giving their all to some splendid arrangements by Holman. Nine charts, all nicely done up by Holman, showcasing the best of the west when it comes to solos, lead playing and tight division work. Recorded in 1958 this is another great recording to add to your collection. Recommended, in particular if you like the work of contemporaries like Kenton, Shorty Rogers and other west coast experimental huge bands. I only subtracted a star because these charts just don’t swing as hard as a great deal of other Holman offerings.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
I Love these Charts. . .so I’m Recommending. . .
By Christopher Tune
I’ve played a great deal of of these arrangements for a great deal of years, and I’ve grown to genuinely love this music. I have never met Bill Holman, but I may tell you he is veritably a jazz great, in particular in the area of “arranged” jazz. Bill uses an often, “contrapuntal” approach to arranging. Don’t think that this means that he is writing strictly linear material. NO. Instead Bill weaves counterpoint and concordance together seamlessly, and with imagination.

Often Bill’s statement of the melody is only done for perhaps one iteration (chorus, say. . ) and then the rest is “variations” on the important material.

Much of this material sounds so natural that it merely feels as altho it is a percentage of the introductory song.

The players are the cream of jazz in the late 1950′s in Los Angeles (Kamuca, Candoli, Rosolino, Fontana, Sheldon). As such, I’m very fascinated in getting everything I may by these people.

Another observation: The sound could be described as “chamber music style jazz”. I say this in the sense that even louds are not “shouts” like with the great Basie sound. Instead the contrasts are more measured. Soloists are never obscured for any instant as they solo.

Also I’d point out that Mel Lewis is great on drums here. The album is almost worth it just for Mel’s outstanding feel as he comes with the group.

Highly recommended.

2 of 3 humans found the following review helpful.
Jazz Orbit — Bill Holman Orchestra
By John Herrmann
Brilliant compositions and arrangements by the best huge band jazz composer/arranger in the history of the art form. And the band is made up of the finest L.A. studio musicians.

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